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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · court · wave · nail · rash · lash · tear · present

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. present — there
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mark — a grade
  6. court — of a king
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rash — a series
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. present — a gift
  16. tear — to rip
  17. court — for sport
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. present — the time now
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. court — of law

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