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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rush — hurry
  3. suit — in cards
  4. board — to get on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. last — finally
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bear — the animal
  15. last — final
  16. board — a committee
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bat — the animal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. last — to go on
  24. suit — clothes

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