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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 124 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — an injury
  4. object — a thing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — to point toward
  14. object — to protest
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pop — music
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. object — an aim
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cue — a signal

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