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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: bound · trunk · suit · toast · rash · lash · file · ground

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rash — a series
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. ground — a position
  7. file — a tool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. file — a document
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bound — tied together
  12. file — a line of people
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. toast — bread
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rash — hasty
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bound — certain
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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