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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: rash · bank · jam · mark · trunk · bay · saw · rock

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rash — hasty
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. rash — a series
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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