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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · rash · wound · mark · band · stem · mug · foot

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — in football
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mug — a face
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. foot — a measure
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. band — a music group
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rash — a series
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. band — a ring
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mark — a trace

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