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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. club — a group
  9. foot — a measure
  10. suit — clothes
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. club — for dancing
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. club — for golf
  24. lie — to recline

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