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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 120 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
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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: mug · bear · shower · band · mark · march · bank · pass

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. band — a music group
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. shower — rain
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mark — a grade
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. band — a ring
  18. pass — a permit
  19. march — music
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mug — a face

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