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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · pit · mine · season · wound · mug

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. season — in sport
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mug — a face
  16. season — of the year
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pit — in a race

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