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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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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: bore · mark · stand · ruler · march · last · cabinet · hide

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. march — the month
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bore — to tire
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — music
  20. last — final
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — the month
  23. last — finally
  24. ruler — for measuring

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