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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. craft — a skill
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bank — for money
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — to fit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. swing — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. swing — to play on
  13. last — to go on
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — of a river
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. swing — in golf
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. can — to be able to
  20. last — finally
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. craft — boats

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