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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. suit — to fit
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. dip — to sink
  7. kid — to tease
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. suit — clothes
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wound — an injury
  18. kid — child
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — in cards
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stock — goods
  24. bear — 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