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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: present · face · lash · stand · safe · wound · board · snap

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. snap — to click
  6. board — a committee
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — a gift
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. present — the time now
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stand — to bear
  15. face — to confront
  16. wound — an injury
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. face — part of the head
  20. board — to get on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — to point toward
  23. present — there
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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