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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 · present · board · rash · nail · suit · stick · pound

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. board — a committee
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mark — a grade
  14. board — to get on
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. suit — clothes
  18. present — the time now
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. present — there
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rash — hasty
  24. present — a gift

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