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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. object — an aim
  3. bank — of a river
  4. kid — child
  5. craft — a skill
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — a thing
  12. club — for golf
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. object — to protest
  23. club — a group
  24. bank — for money

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