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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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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: mug · content · march · mark · arm · stick · bay · scale

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. content — the amount
  5. march — the month
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mark — a trace
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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