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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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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: safe · kid · press · band · charge · bank · craft · spell

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spell — a short time
  3. kid — child
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — a price
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. craft — boats
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. kid — to tease
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bank — for money
  16. band — a music group
  17. press — a publisher
  18. charge — in control
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. band — a ring

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