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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. kick — in football
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. current — happening now
  15. lie — to recline
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — of water
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. current — electric
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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