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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.

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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bound — obliged
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bound — tied together
  7. drill — a practice
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cap — a hat
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cap — a lid
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bound — certain
  19. drill — army training
  20. cap — of ice
  21. prune — to trim
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lash — an eyelash

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