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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: deal · wound · rest · lash · sharp · lie · mark · board

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. board — a committee
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — to handle
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rest — what's left
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lie — to recline
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — to get on
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mark — a grade

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