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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 not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. club — a group
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lean — to bend
  10. club — for golf
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. last — finally
  17. club — for dancing
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mug — to rob
  20. last — to go on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a face
  23. lean — thin
  24. last — final

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