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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: mark · firm · board · wound · file · lash · tube · suit

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. board — to get on
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. board — a committee
  6. tube — the underground
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — decided
  15. file — a tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. firm — a company
  19. tube — a container
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. firm — steady
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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