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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · foot · board · arm · stand · lean · mark · march

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. march — the month
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lean — thin
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — a grade
  8. spring — the season
  9. board — to get on
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lean — to bend
  14. spring — of water
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mark — a trace
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. board — a committee
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. board — a flat piece

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