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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — boats
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — decided
  11. bank — for money
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. craft — a skill
  15. firm — a company
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bass — low music
  18. chest — of your body

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