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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 116 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: cell · face · bank · prune · craft · row · scale · bowl

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bank — for money
  3. cell — in biology
  4. prune — to trim
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. row — to paddle
  8. face — to confront
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cell — a phone
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. scale — in music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. face — to point toward
  18. craft — boats
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. row — a line
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bank — for money

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