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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: roll · march · bank · rule · craft · kick · plane · rock

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rule — a law
  3. roll — a list
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. kick — in football
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — boats
  14. bank — for money
  15. march — the month
  16. plane — a tool
  17. march — the month
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. rule — government
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. march — music

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