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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: mark · coach · present · suit · bear · trunk · march · season

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mark — a grade
  9. season — of the year
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. present — a gift
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. season — in sport
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. suit — in cards
  21. march — the month
  22. mark — a trace
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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