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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fork — in a road
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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