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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. can — to be able to
  6. charge — a price
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. charge — electricity
  9. chest — a box
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. shower — rain
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wound — an injury
  16. charge — in control
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rush — hurry
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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