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

Word bank: racket · craft · branch · kick · bank · rest

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — a division
  8. rest — what's left
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rest — a break
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats

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