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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wound — an injury
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. spring — of water
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. spring — a coil
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spring — the season
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — the earth
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lie — to recline
  24. perch — for a bird

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