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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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Word bank
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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: wind · wound · toast · craft · press · suit

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wind — moving air
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — to fit
  8. press — a publisher
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. craft — boats
  12. wound — an injury
  13. toast — bread
  14. craft — a skill
  15. press — newspapers
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. press — to push

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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