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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. march — music
  9. wake — a trail
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — to fit
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lean — thin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. key — the most important part

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