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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 116 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: stand · pass · march · track · trunk · suit · mine · craft

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. craft — a skill
  3. suit — in cards
  4. craft — boats
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. suit — clothes
  7. track — a song
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. suit — to fit
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. track — a path
  21. march — music
  22. pass — a permit
  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