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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: lash · ground · season · bound · board · fork · bank · mark

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bound — certain
  10. season — of the year
  11. ground — a position
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bound — tied together

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