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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: ball · ruler · mark · craft · bank · current · arm · chair

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. current — electric
  9. chair — a leader
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — of water
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bank — of a river
  22. current — happening now
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. arm — part of the body

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