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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · craft · racket · dip · club · staff · bat · bank

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. craft — a skill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. staff — employees
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. staff — employees
  8. club — a group
  9. craft — boats
  10. club — for golf
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. staff — a stick
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bank — of a river
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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