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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: bass · suit · rest · craft · wind · chip · roll · bear

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — to eat
  19. suit — clothes
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bass — low music
  24. rest — what's left

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