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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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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: ground · foot · swing · band · race · craft · bank · firm

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. swing — music
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bank — of a river
  6. swing — to play on
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ground — a position
  10. craft — a skill
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. firm — steady
  13. ground — the earth
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ground — crushed
  17. band — a ring
  18. craft — boats
  19. firm — a company
  20. band — a music group
  21. firm — decided
  22. bank — for money
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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