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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. branch — a division
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rock — music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a dance

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