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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. fine — all right
  4. key — in music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ground — a position
  9. rock — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ground — crushed
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ground — the earth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rush — hurry
  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