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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rock — music
  7. shower — rain
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. capital — money
  10. rock — a stone
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. object — to protest
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. object — an aim
  16. capital — a city
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. object — a thing
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. wound — an injury

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