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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
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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: rock · bank · leaves · date · safe · chest · march · coach

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bank — for money
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rock — music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. date — the fruit
  14. march — the month
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. march — the month
  18. chest — a box
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. march — music
  24. bank — of a river

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