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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: chair · board · bank · can · craft · foot · bulb · mug

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — a cup
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. craft — a skill
  6. can — to be able to
  7. craft — boats
  8. chair — a leader
  9. foot — a measure
  10. board — a committee
  11. mug — to rob
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bank — for money
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mug — a face
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bulb — of a plant

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