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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. bank — for money
  4. net — after costs
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. field — a subject
  14. chip — to eat
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — a skill
  17. net — for catching
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bank — for money
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. suit — in cards
  22. field — for sport
  23. net — in sport
  24. field — farmland

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