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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: squash · stand · prune · board · bound · mark · spell · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. squash — to crush
  4. board — to get on
  5. squash — the sport
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mark — a grade
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. spell — magic
  11. board — a committee
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. spell — letters
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stand — to bear

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