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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: mark · board · mug · hand · fork · pop · lean · lash

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. pop — music
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. board — to get on
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. mug — a face
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. mug — a cup
  20. lean — thin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pop — soda
  23. lean — to bend
  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