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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bound — obliged
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. land — a country
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. shower — to wash
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. shower — rain
  18. land — ground
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. land — to come down
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. pass — to succeed

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