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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. board — a committee
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bound — obliged
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — to get on
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bound — certain
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bound — tied together

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