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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bank — for money
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wind — moving air
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bound — certain
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — obliged
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. craft — boats
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bank — of a river
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wind — to turn a key

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