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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: roll · march · craft · mark · toast · track · suit · coach

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. march — music
  3. track — a song
  4. march — the month
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — a trace
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. roll — a cake
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. craft — a skill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mark — a grade
  18. track — a path
  19. craft — boats
  20. march — the month
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. toast — bread
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. roll — a list

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