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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bank — of a river
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bank — for money
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — a skill
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — a tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mark — a trace
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — a phone
  22. band — a music group
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cell — in a prison

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