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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: stem · wound · rush · straw · bowl · lash · key · pit

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pit — a hole
  4. key — in music
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. key — the most important part
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — in a race
  24. key — for a lock

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