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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
468
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: club · rash · bear · lie · coach · wound · bass · file

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a document
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. club — for golf
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rash — a series
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — low music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. club — a group

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