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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: craft · mark · bass · court · land · bore · arm · stand

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bass — low music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. land — a country
  9. court — for sport
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. court — of a king
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. court — of law
  18. stand — to bear
  19. craft — a skill
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bore — to tire

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