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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
468
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: lie · march · wake · rock · temple · craft · stand · plane

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. march — music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rock — music
  7. lie — to recline
  8. march — the month
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — boats
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. march — the month
  24. rock — to move gently

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