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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: bowl · bank · fine · bound · rock · date · wound · coach

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. wound — an injury
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bound — certain
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rock — music
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fine — all right
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. coach — a trainer

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