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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: wave · mouse · bank · temple · toast · wound · branch · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bank — for money
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bank — of a river
  5. branch — a division
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bank — for money
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. toast — bread
  22. craft — boats
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wound — an injury

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