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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. deal — to handle
  3. file — a document
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pop — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. file — a tool
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pop — soda
  17. file — a line of people
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wake — a trail
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pop — to visit
  24. deal — an agreement

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