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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. kick — in football
  5. band — a ring
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. band — a music group
  9. stock — shares
  10. object — an aim
  11. chip — to eat
  12. craft — boats
  13. branch — a division
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stock — goods
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. object — to protest
  19. craft — a skill
  20. object — a thing
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. chip — for betting

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