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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tube — a container
  7. ground — a position
  8. mine — for digging
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. sharp — clever
  12. tube — the underground
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ground — crushed
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — an injury
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wound — an injury
  24. leaves — lets stay

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