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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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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. march — music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. march — the month
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. row — to paddle
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bass — the fish
  16. firm — decided
  17. bass — low music
  18. firm — a company
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. firm — steady
  21. march — the month
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. row — a line

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