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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bank — of a river
  9. board — to get on
  10. craft — a skill
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — a committee
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bank — for money
  24. ball — a dance

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