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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: march · fall · wave · bank · foot · mark · pop · mouse

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. foot — a measure
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pop — to visit
  17. march — the month
  18. pop — soda
  19. bank — of a river
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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