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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — an injury
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. swing — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — certain
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bound — obliged
  21. swing — in golf
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bound — tied together

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