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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 116 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: mate · dip · mouse · board · pitcher · mark · rash · wake

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. board — a committee
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mouse — the animal

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