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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: land · stand · plane · club · bank · wake · spring · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spring — of water
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — ground
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — of a river
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. land — a country
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. craft — boats
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. craft — a skill
  20. land — to come down
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wake — a trail
  23. club — a group
  24. bank — for money

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