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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: mark · pop · firm · stock · calf · leaves · march · pass

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pass — a permit
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — soda
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pop — to visit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. pop — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — shares
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — a grade
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stock — goods

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