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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. staff — employees
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hand — in cards
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. swing — music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wind — moving air
  16. staff — employees
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. staff — a stick
  24. hand — help

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