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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. board — a committee
  5. rash — a series
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — to get on
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rash — hasty
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fine — all right
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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