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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. march — music
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — employees
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. march — the month
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bear — the animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. vault — a safe
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. march — the month
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. staff — employees
  24. wound — an injury

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