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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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. bound — certain
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. spring — of water
  6. rest — a break
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. spring — the season
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — to bear
  12. root — the cause
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spring — a coil
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bound — tied together
  19. root — of a word
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stand — on your feet

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