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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. spell — letters
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. spell — magic
  9. rock — a stone
  10. board — to get on
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rock — music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. board — a committee
  17. lie — to recline
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rash — a series
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — a short time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rash — hasty

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