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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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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: craft · date · rock · dip · board · bank · rest · staff

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. staff — employees
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. craft — boats
  10. staff — a stick
  11. board — a committee
  12. rock — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — a stone
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bank — of a river
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rest — a break
  24. staff — employees

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