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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: can · march · mark · press · lie · spring · swing · bay

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. spring — of water
  3. march — the month
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. march — the month
  8. lie — to recline
  9. press — a publisher
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — newspapers
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — in golf
  14. march — music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. spring — a coil
  17. press — to push
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spring — the season

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