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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: bank · march · rash · charge · dip · roll · season · safe

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. march — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bank — of a river
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bank — for money
  11. march — the month
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. charge — a price
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. roll — a list
  20. march — the month
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. dip — to sink

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