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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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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bound — tied together
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wound — an injury
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. tear — from crying
  8. board — a committee
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bound — certain
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. board — to get on
  19. staff — employees
  20. tear — to rip
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. staff — employees
  24. bound — obliged

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