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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: content · bank · racket · jam · wake · toast · spring · coach

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — of a river
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. content — the amount
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. toast — bread
  9. spring — the season
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bank — for money
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wake — a trail
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. content — happy
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bank — for money
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. spring — of water
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. jam — a tight spot

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