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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lean — thin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. face — to point toward
  10. object — a thing
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lean — to bend
  17. face — to confront
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitch — completely
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wound — an injury
  24. nail — for a hammer

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