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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: net · coach · safe · band · roll · wave · bank · jam

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — for catching
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. net — after costs
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. roll — a cake
  15. band — a music group
  16. bank — of a river
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a ring
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. net — in sport

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