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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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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 · pass · firm · mark · snap · bank · wound · mouse

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. firm — decided
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mark — a grade
  18. firm — steady
  19. bank — for money
  20. mark — a trace
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. snap — to click
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. pass — a permit

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