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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — boats
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. board — to get on
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rash — a series
  13. board — a committee
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rash — hasty
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. craft — a skill

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