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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: snap · fine · bank · leaves · cold · rush · bound · pop

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cold — an illness
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fine — all right
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. snap — to click
  12. pop — music
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bound — certain
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pop — soda
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bound — obliged
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cold — not warm
  24. fine — a penalty

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