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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 116 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bark — to shout
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mug — a cup
  23. march — the month
  24. hide — to keep secret

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