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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: racket · deal · craft · foot · cell · chip · bank · drill

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. foot — a measure
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — to eat
  7. drill — a practice
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bank — for money
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bank — of a river
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cell — a phone
  19. drill — the tool
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. drill — army training

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