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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mate — a partner
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mate — to breed
  18. roll — a list
  19. fine — high quality
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wound — an injury

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