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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 120 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 one o'clock ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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