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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: wound · arm · mate · ball · roll · chair · rock · lash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. ball — a dance
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. roll — a list
  11. rock — music
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mate — a partner
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mate — to breed
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lash — to lash out
  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