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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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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: hide · mug · pound · swing · lie · suit · wound · squash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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. pound — a weight
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mug — a cup
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wound — an injury
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mug — to rob
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mug — a face
  24. pound — for dogs

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