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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.

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: row · land · object · march · mark · dip · fork · game

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. march — the month
  3. object — an aim
  4. row — to paddle
  5. march — music
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. land — to come down
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. object — a thing
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. row — a line
  16. march — the month
  17. fork — in a road
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. game — a match
  23. mark — a grade
  24. game — wild animals

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