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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. march — music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. race — the arms race
  10. march — the month
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. race — a contest
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. race — humankind
  15. craft — boats
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. snap — to click
  19. stand — to bear
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. march — the month
  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