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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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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: bank · bay · rest · last · stick · land · rock · craft

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. land — ground
  3. craft — boats
  4. rock — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. land — a country
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bank — for money
  17. land — to come down
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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