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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
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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: leaves · mark · march · saw · can · lie · degree · toast

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. march — the month
  3. toast — bread
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. degree — temperature
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a grade
  8. can — a tin
  9. degree — from a university
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. saw — the tool
  13. march — music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. degree — an amount
  17. can — to be able to
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. can — a tin
  23. march — the month
  24. toast — the most admired

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