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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. march — the month
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a trace
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. march — music
  12. track — a song
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. spring — of water
  18. march — the month
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rest — a break
  23. track — a path
  24. spring — the season

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