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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: bank · bear · bay · cue · pitcher · plane · rock · craft

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rock — music
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rock — a stone

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