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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: roll · chip · mark · cue · stand · march · object · last

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. object — a thing
  6. march — the month
  7. cue — for pool
  8. last — final
  9. object — an aim
  10. last — finally
  11. mark — a trace
  12. roll — a cake
  13. cue — a hint
  14. roll — a list
  15. last — to go on
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. object — to protest
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. chip — for betting
  22. march — the month
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. chip — in a computer

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