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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: rock · field · nail · can · key · stand · march · mark

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. march — the month
  4. field — a subject
  5. key — in music
  6. field — for sport
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. field — farmland
  13. march — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rock — a stone
  18. can — to be able to
  19. march — the month
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. can — a tin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mark — a grade

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