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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mate — to breed
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mate — a friend
  10. root — the cause
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. club — for golf
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. club — a group
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rash — hasty
  19. club — for dancing
  20. root — of a word
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rash — a series
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rash — on the skin

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