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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 120 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: rush · straw · wake · firm · bore · wound · fine · bowl

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. firm — a company
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wake — a trail
  7. firm — decided
  8. fine — all right
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bore — to tire
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bore — gave birth

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