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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: craft · band · mouse · stock · jam · bank · calf · ground

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ground — crushed
  4. craft — boats
  5. stock — shares
  6. band — a ring
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. band — a music group
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. jam — a tight spot

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