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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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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: bear · swing · coach · march · mark · suit · fork · arm

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. march — the month
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fork — in a road
  18. swing — in golf
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. march — the month

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