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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: mark · ball · bank · lean · band · bay · bowl · patient

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. band — a music group
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lean — thin
  24. ball — a great time

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