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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 124 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chest — of your body
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mug — a cup
  12. face — to confront
  13. mug — a face
  14. rule — a law
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rule — government
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chest — of your body
  20. face — part of the head
  21. swing — to play on
  22. wound — an injury
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. chest — a box

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