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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. face — to point toward
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bound — obliged
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. toast — bread
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. face — part of the head
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — to confront
  24. bound — certain

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