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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: board · present · trunk · mug · mine · sharp · wound · lash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. board — to get on
  8. mug — to rob
  9. present — a gift
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mug — a face
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — a committee
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mug — a cup
  24. trunk — of a car

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