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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. shower — to wash
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. ground — crushed
  6. press — a publisher
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. press — newspapers
  15. shower — rain
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. press — to push
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fork — to eat with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com