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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · rash · board · mark · toast · fall · season · lash

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. board — a committee
  5. mark — a trace
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. toast — bread
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. season — of the year
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. net — for catching
  16. season — in sport
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. rash — hasty
  19. net — after costs
  20. fall — the season
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. net — in sport
  24. fall — to drop

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