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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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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bank — of a river
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. net — in sport
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rock — music
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. date — the fruit

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