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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 · kid · jam · face · wave · dip · bank · bound

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. kid — child
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bank — of a river
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bound — certain
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. march — the month
  17. dip — to sink
  18. march — music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. face — to confront
  21. kid — to tease
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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