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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. march — the month
  6. kick — in football
  7. root — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. march — the month
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. chair — a leader
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. can — a tin
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. march — music
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. kick — a thrill

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