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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. chest — a box
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wound — an injury
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — to be able to
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bank — of a river
  16. chest — of your body
  17. suit — in cards
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. can — a tin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — belonging to me

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