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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rest — a break
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. prune — to trim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. charge — a price
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rest — what's left

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