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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. saw — the tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. present — there
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. present — the time now
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bulb — for light
  19. craft — a skill
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — a gift
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — for light
  24. saw — the tool

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