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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bound — tied together
  4. march — the month
  5. shower — rain
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pop — soda
  8. bound — certain
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bank — for money
  11. march — the month
  12. pop — to visit
  13. net — for catching
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bass — low music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pop — music
  19. net — after costs
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bank — of a river
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. net — in sport
  24. march — music

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