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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: bank · staff · stand · bark · pop · craft · mouse · shower

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. staff — employees
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. shower — to wash
  6. pop — soda
  7. bark — to shout
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. shower — rain
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. staff — employees
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — a stick
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — for money
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. stand — to bear

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