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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a hat
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rock — music
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bank — of a river
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bank — for money
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — low music
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bass — the instrument

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