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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. tube — the underground
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. land — ground
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — in cards

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