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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: march · band · suit · rock · coach · craft · jam · bound

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rock — a stone
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bound — tied together
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. band — a ring
  9. suit — to fit
  10. craft — a skill
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. band — a music group
  13. craft — boats
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. march — music
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bound — certain
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bound — obliged
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rock — 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