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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: bay · spring · ground · bank · craft · calf · chip · lash

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bank — of a river
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. spring — of water
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ground — a position
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. craft — a skill

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