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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. drill — a practice
  3. club — a group
  4. object — an aim
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — a thing
  8. drill — army training
  9. suit — to fit
  10. branch — a division
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. object — to protest
  23. suit — clothes
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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