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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chair — a leader
  4. march — the month
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. march — the month
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. march — music
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rest — a break
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. mate — a friend
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bound — tied together
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bound — obliged

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