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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 · rest · march · prune · game · present · ball · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — to trim
  5. game — a match
  6. present — the time now
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. rest — what's left
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. game — wild animals
  18. march — music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rest — a break
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mug — a face

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