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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 116 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: mark · bank · march · bound · can · snap · wound · bay

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. march — the month
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mark — a grade
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bank — for money
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. can — a tin
  15. bank — for money
  16. march — the month
  17. bound — certain
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. snap — to click
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. march — music

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