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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: suit · lash · trunk · patient · key · wind · wound · pit

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — clothes
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wound — an injury
  11. suit — in cards
  12. key — in music
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pit — a hole
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — for a lock
  24. lash — an eyelash

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