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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: trunk · bore · march · swing · object · rock · can · stand

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. swing — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. swing — in golf
  8. march — the month
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rock — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. can — a tin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. object — a thing
  23. march — the month
  24. trunk — of a tree

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