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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. march — music
  3. craft — a skill
  4. kid — child
  5. club — for golf
  6. march — the month
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. craft — boats
  13. can — to be able to
  14. club — a group
  15. mate — a friend
  16. can — a tin
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kid — to tease
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. march — the month
  24. club — for dancing

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