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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: stick · wave · pound · kick · suit · wound · bore · lie

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bore — to drill
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — an injury
  24. kick — in football

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