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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mug — a cup
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fall — to drop
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pop — soda
  12. bank — of a river
  13. march — music
  14. band — a music group
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bank — for money
  17. fall — the season
  18. pop — music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mug — a face
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. band — a ring
  24. fall — to drop

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