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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: rest · wound · bank · mug · sharp · band · firm · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mug — a cup
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rest — a break
  11. wound — an injury
  12. band — a ring
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. mug — a face
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — a company
  21. band — a music group
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bank — for money
  24. mug — to rob

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