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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · craft · pound · march · mug · racket

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. march — the month
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. march — music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. march — the month

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