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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bound — certain
  9. tube — a container
  10. fine — high quality
  11. file — a line of people
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — all right
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. file — a document
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. face — to point toward
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. file — a tool
  22. face — to confront
  23. bound — obliged
  24. face — part of the head

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