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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mate — to breed
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lie — to recline
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pitch — a sports field

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