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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · safe · march · bank · rock · chest · season · stand

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mine — for digging
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. season — in sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. march — the month
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. march — music
  19. bank — for money
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — a strongbox

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