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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: object · cap · safe · march · stand · bound · tear · mark

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mark — a trace
  4. march — the month
  5. object — a thing
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cap — a lid
  11. march — music
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a hat
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. object — an aim
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mark — a grade
  24. object — to protest

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