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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bulb — for light
  3. field — farmland
  4. mug — a face
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — an injury
  21. field — for sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — decided
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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