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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fine — all right
  11. spring — a coil
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. row — a line
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — of water
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fine — high quality
  21. plane — a tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. can — a tin

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