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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: pit · bound · bark · march · pass · craft · jam · mark

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pit — a hole
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mark — a grade
  8. march — music
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bound — tied together
  14. craft — boats
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bark — to shout
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. march — the month
  24. craft — a skill

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