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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — clothes
  5. dip — to sink
  6. suit — in cards
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — for paper
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. present — there
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. present — a gift
  23. clip — to cut
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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