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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · craft · field · bank · board · racket · mine · shower

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. board — to get on
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bank — for money
  7. field — a subject
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. field — farmland
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. board — a committee
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mark — a grade
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bank — for money
  21. field — for sport
  22. mark — a trace
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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