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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: bank · craft · pound · ball · shower · chip · wax · staff

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bank — for money
  3. ball — a dance
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wax — to grow
  7. craft — boats
  8. staff — employees
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bank — for money
  16. shower — to wash
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. staff — employees
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — rain
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — of a river

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