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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stand — to bear
  10. track — a path
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. track — a song
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cell — a phone
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. march — the month
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. march — the month
  21. track — to keep track
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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