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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · fine · lie · face · trunk · stand · arm · mine

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mine — for digging
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fine — all right
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fine — high quality
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. face — part of the head
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. arm — part of the body

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