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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. band — a ring
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mark — a trace
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — a committee
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. band — a music group
  24. rash — a series

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