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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: mug · bay · craft · stock · band · rush · plane · chip

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stock — goods
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. band — a ring
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mug — a face
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. band — a music group
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rush — a thrill

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