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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: land · fork · bank · craft · can · nail · staff · plane

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — to come down
  3. craft — boats
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. plane — a tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. staff — employees
  9. fork — in a road
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — ground
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — to be able to
  14. land — a country
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. staff — employees
  20. can — a tin
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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