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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. band — a music group
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chip — for betting
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bank — of a river
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — boats
  15. chip — to eat
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. band — a ring
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bank — for money
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fan — a supporter
  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