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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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. pit — a fruit stone
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. fall — to drop
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. net — for catching
  10. pit — a hole
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fall — the season
  16. pit — in a race
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fall — to drop
  19. net — in sport
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — after costs
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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