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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wound — an injury
  11. craft — boats
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. nail — for a hammer

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