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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: leaves · arm · craft · bank · bowl · present · land · wave

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. present — a gift
  8. land — to come down
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. present — there
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. craft — a skill
  17. land — ground
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — the time now

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