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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. land — a country
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a match
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. land — ground
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wound — an injury
  23. land — to come down
  24. game — wild animals

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