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

Word bank: bank · craft · squash · tear · racket · suit

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. squash — to crush
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tear — to rip
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — boats
  16. tear — from crying
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. suit — in cards

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