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

Word bank: mark · bank · band · present · bowl · temple · pitch · bound

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a ring
  3. present — a gift
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bound — tied together
  7. present — the time now
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. present — there
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. band — a music group
  17. bank — for money
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bound — certain
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bound — obliged

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