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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 · rash · bore · object · mark · band · can · spell

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rash — hasty
  6. can — to be able to
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. spell — letters
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. object — a thing
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — magic
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. object — an aim
  15. band — a ring
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rash — a series
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. object — to protest
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — a short time
  23. can — a tin
  24. bore — to drill

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