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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fork — in a road
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. shower — rain
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bulb — for light
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bound — certain
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. snap — to click

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