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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. season — of the year
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. race — humankind
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — a contest
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wound — an injury

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