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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 116 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 · charge · shower · bowl · craft · bank · ball · staff

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. charge — in control
  3. land — ground
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bank — for money
  6. staff — employees
  7. bank — of a river
  8. charge — a price
  9. craft — boats
  10. land — a country
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bank — for money
  14. charge — electricity
  15. staff — a stick
  16. shower — to wash
  17. land — to come down
  18. ball — a great time
  19. shower — rain
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. staff — employees
  23. ball — a dance
  24. craft — a handicraft

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