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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: bound · wound · face · ruler · mouse · lash · track · rest

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — certain
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — obliged
  11. track — a path
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bound — tied together
  14. track — to keep track
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wound — an injury
  17. face — to confront
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — a break
  24. wound — an injury

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