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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wound — an injury
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. season — of the year
  12. shower — rain
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — to bear
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. staff — employees
  21. shower — to wash
  22. season — in sport
  23. face — to point toward
  24. racket — for tennis

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