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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 120 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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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: rash · march · object · chip · craft · mark · wind · pit

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mark — a grade
  3. march — the month
  4. object — a thing
  5. chip — to eat
  6. craft — boats
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — for betting
  12. object — to protest
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pit — in a race
  15. craft — a skill
  16. march — the month
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wind — moving air
  19. march — music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rash — a series

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