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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. mine — for digging
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. foot — a measure
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bowl — a dish

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