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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: jam · bank · leaves · scale · ruler · dip · march · field

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. field — for sport
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — a subject
  10. bank — of a river
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. field — farmland
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — in music
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. scale — size or range
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. march — the month
  24. leaves — lets stay

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