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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 116 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: mark · deal · board · spell · last · rash · bay · plane

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. last — final
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. spell — letters
  9. rash — hasty
  10. plane — a tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. board — a committee
  14. mark — a trace
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. last — finally
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — to get on
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. last — to go on

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