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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 116 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. squash — to crush
  3. drill — the tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. wound — an injury
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mine — for digging
  19. drill — army training
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bulb — for light

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