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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. deal — to handle
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — electric
  5. wound — an injury
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. present — a gift
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. current — happening now
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cue — for pool
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. present — the time now
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. present — there
  21. current — of water
  22. cue — a signal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. can — to be able to

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