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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: season · mine · bass · rush · march · lie · foot · bank

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. march — the month
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. season — in sport
  8. march — music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bass — low music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bank — for money
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. bass — the fish
  23. season — of the year
  24. lie — to recline

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