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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 120 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: net · craft · saw · rest · march · charge · mark · pop

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. march — the month
  4. net — after costs
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. net — in sport
  10. pop — music
  11. march — music
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. charge — a price
  15. craft — boats
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — for catching
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — electricity
  20. march — the month
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — in control
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rest — a break

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