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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lie — to recline
  5. march — music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mug — a cup
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mug — a face
  10. press — newspapers
  11. swing — to play on
  12. march — the month
  13. swing — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. march — the month
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — to rob
  20. saw — the tool
  21. press — to push
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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