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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 124 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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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: can · rash · ground · racket · wound · cap · bore · fine

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rash — a series
  10. fine — all right
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cap — of ice
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ground — a position
  19. wound — an injury
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ground — the earth
  24. wound — an injury

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