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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: band · craft · rock · bank · plane · wind · date · foot

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — boats
  4. rock — a stone
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bank — for money
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. band — a ring
  15. foot — a measure
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. band — a music group
  18. rock — music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wind — moving air
  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