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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: bank · temple · bass · leaves · bound · suit · coach · wound

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bound — certain
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bound — tied together
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bound — obliged
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bass — low music
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — in cards
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — for money
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. suit — clothes
  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