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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. firm — decided
  3. current — of water
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. current — electric
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. fall — the season
  14. current — happening now
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a great time

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