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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: craft · branch · mark · capital · squash · suit

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — a division
  3. squash — to crush
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mark — a trace
  8. capital — money
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mark — a grade
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — boats
  14. suit — in cards
  15. squash — the sport
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. suit — to fit

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