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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: rash · craft · arm · bank · tube · cue · fan · chair

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — a signal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rash — hasty
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chair — a leader
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fan — a supporter

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