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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rush — hurry
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bank — of a river
  9. net — for catching
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wind — moving air
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a ring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. band — a music group
  24. ruler — for measuring

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