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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: court · temple · bay · bear · firm · mark · march · rash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. court — of a king
  5. rash — a series
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — a grade
  8. march — the month
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. court — for sport
  11. march — the month
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. court — of law
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — hasty
  22. march — music
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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