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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — to fit
  4. firm — decided
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. suit — in cards
  11. firm — steady
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. row — to paddle
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — clothes
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lean — thin
  19. row — a line
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — a company
  24. bulb — of a plant

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