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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bore — to tire
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fine — all right
  8. snap — to click
  9. wound — an injury
  10. key — in music
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fine — high quality
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bore — to drill
  23. can — a tin
  24. dip — a sauce

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