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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: last · trunk · jam · foot · stand · march · wake · racket

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. last — to go on
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. foot — a measure
  16. last — final
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. last — finally
  21. march — the month
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. march — the month
  24. foot — part of the body

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