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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mine — for digging
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wound — an injury
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. craft — boats
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ball — a dance
  24. safe — out of danger

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