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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: mug · prune · toast · band · chair · bank · jam · bear

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. band — a ring
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bear — the animal
  10. band — a music group
  11. prune — to trim
  12. toast — bread
  13. prune — to trim
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bear — the animal
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mug — a face
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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