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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. season — of the year
  4. tube — the underground
  5. suit — in cards
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wound — an injury
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. tube — a container
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. squash — to crush

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