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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: lash · pound · mark · wake · bound · season · spell · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. spell — letters
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bound — tied together
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. season — of the year
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. spell — magic
  13. season — in sport
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bound — certain
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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