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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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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: bank · mark · spring · saw · jam · racket · fall · roll

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spring — the season
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fall — to drop
  6. saw — the tool
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a list
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fall — to drop
  16. spring — of water
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fall — the season
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mark — a trace
  24. racket — a loud noise

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