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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: march · wave · wind · pitcher · bank · rock · mark · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bank — of a river
  6. march — music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mark — a trace
  13. march — the month
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rock — music
  19. mark — a grade
  20. march — the month
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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