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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 was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bass — low music
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bass — the fish

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