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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mug — a face
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mug — to rob
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. pop — soda
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. land — to come down
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mug — a cup
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pop — music
  23. can — a tin
  24. pit — in a race

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