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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 · degree · wave · mark · track · present · content · bank

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. mark — a grade
  2. content — happy
  3. mark — a trace
  4. present — there
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. degree — temperature
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. content — the amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. track — a path
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. present — the time now
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — a song
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. degree — an amount
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bank — of a river
  23. present — a gift
  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