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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: wound · rash · hide · mug · toast · firm · wind · suit

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rash — a series
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mug — a face
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rash — hasty
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mug — a cup
  19. suit — to fit
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mug — to rob
  22. firm — steady
  23. wound — an injury
  24. toast — bread

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