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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. key — in music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lean — thin
  14. club — for dancing
  15. cap — of ice
  16. club — for golf
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mug — a cup
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cap — a hat

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