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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. object — a thing
  5. chip — for betting
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. object — an aim
  10. plane — a tool
  11. object — to protest
  12. craft — boats
  13. season — of the year
  14. bank — for money
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bank — of a river
  20. season — in sport
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. shower — rain

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