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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. march — music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. land — to come down
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mug — to rob
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wound — an injury
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. march — the month
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. march — the month
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. land — ground

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