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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: bank · craft · bulb · pound · cell · chip · bay · firm

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. firm — decided
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — in biology
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. craft — a skill
  21. chip — for betting
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. cell — in a prison

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