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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 · mug · ground · nail · wound · deal · mate · spring

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ground — crushed
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — a cup
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mate — a partner
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — a position
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. can — a tin
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mug — a face
  24. spring — the season

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