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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: march · craft · mine · squash · ground · deal · bank · charge

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — boats
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ground — the earth
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. march — music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bank — for money
  13. march — the month
  14. charge — in control
  15. march — the month
  16. craft — a skill
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. charge — electricity
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — a price
  24. mine — an explosive

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