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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. swing — music
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ball — a round shape

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