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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 116 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: stand · firm · mark · plane · season · net · march · cabinet

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. net — for catching
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — steady
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. season — in sport
  8. march — the month
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. plane — a tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. march — music
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mark — a trace
  21. net — in sport
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. season — of the year

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