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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: jam · ball · fall · leaves · bank · bound · net · mark

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. net — after costs
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bound — obliged
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mark — a grade
  10. net — in sport
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fall — to drop
  17. net — for catching
  18. bank — of a river
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bank — for money

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