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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stand — to bear
  9. track — to keep track
  10. craft — boats
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lie — to recline
  17. track — a path
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. track — a song
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. chair — a leader
  24. stand — for spectators

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