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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: toast · bay · mark · scale · bank · temple · rush · jam

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bank — for money
  4. scale — in music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rush — hurry
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bank — of a river
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mark — a grade
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bank — for money
  23. toast — bread
  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