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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · mark · coach · racket · chip · pitcher · lie · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — to eat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. march — the month
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. march — the month

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