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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · wind · bank · bowl · net · coach · face · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. face — to point toward
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — for catching
  6. bank — of a river
  7. net — after costs
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bank — for money
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. net — in sport
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — for money
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. face — part of the head
  23. roll — a list
  24. bowl — a football final

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