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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: mug · stand · sharp · shower · track · mine · net · march

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. net — in sport
  3. march — the month
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mug — a cup
  6. march — the month
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. track — a path
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. track — to keep track
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. march — music
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. shower — rain
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. track — a song

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