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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fine — high quality
  4. club — a group
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. club — for golf
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rock — music
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. content — happy
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. content — the amount
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — all right

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