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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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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: toast · mark · jam · wake · craft · firm · fall · last

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mark — a trace
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. last — final
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. firm — a company
  11. last — to go on
  12. craft — boats
  13. fall — to drop
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — decided
  16. fall — the season
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. toast — bread
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — a trail
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. craft — a skill
  24. last — finally

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