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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: march · hide · club · bulb · stand · chip · mate · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bulb — for light
  7. club — a group
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. march — the month
  12. mate — a partner
  13. march — the month
  14. last — to go on
  15. club — for golf
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. last — final
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. march — music
  24. club — for dancing

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