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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rash — a series
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bound — certain
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — for money
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stand — to bear
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bank — for money
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. scale — in music
  24. stand — on your feet

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