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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 · bound · season · stick · plane · spell · jam · wound

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bound — tied together
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. spell — letters
  6. plane — a tool
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mark — a trace
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — certain
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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