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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rock — music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lie — to recline
  10. track — a song
  11. pit — a hole
  12. track — a path
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bear — the animal

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