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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: bound · march · cabinet · bowl · stock · date · wave · temple

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stock — shares
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. date — the fruit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bound — certain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. march — the month
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — goods
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. march — the month
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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