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

Word bank: straw · fork · club · stem · wound · lie · rest · fine

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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. wound — an injury
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lie — to recline
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. club — for golf
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rest — a break

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