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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
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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: spell · stand · foot · bat · march · fine · mark · object

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bat — the animal
  3. spell — letters
  4. march — music
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. object — an aim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mark — a grade
  14. object — a thing
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fine — all right
  17. spell — a short time
  18. object — to protest
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mark — a trace
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spell — magic

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