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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.

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: mark · march · kick · toast · temple · coach · roll · land

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. toast — bread
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a list
  8. march — the month
  9. roll — a cake
  10. land — a country
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. march — the month
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — ground
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. land — to come down
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. kick — in football
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. march — music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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