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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: date · wind · spell · lash · ball · rash · mark · bound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mark — a grade
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bound — certain
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. spell — letters
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ball — a dance
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. spell — magic
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rash — a series
  24. mark — a trace

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