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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: season · can · bark · staff · fine · march · jam · bound

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fine — all right
  5. march — the month
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. season — in sport
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. staff — employees
  12. bound — certain
  13. march — music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. staff — employees
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. can — a tin
  20. march — the month
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bark — to shout
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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