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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
468
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: mate · leaves · bank · chest · arm · march · coach · bass

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mate — a partner
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bank — for money
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mate — to breed
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. march — the month
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bass — low music
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chest — a box

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