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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.

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: rock · chair · hand · bank · safe · craft · land · jam

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — a stone
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. chair — a leader
  5. land — a country
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. hand — in cards
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. craft — a skill
  15. land — to come down
  16. hand — help
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. land — ground
  20. craft — boats
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bank — for money
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bank — of a river

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