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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. pop — soda
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pop — music
  10. firm — steady
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mark — a grade
  14. firm — a company
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mug — a face
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mug — a cup
  24. firm — decided

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