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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: ground · suit · cabinet · ball · last · trunk · stick · craft

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. ground — a position
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. last — final
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a dance
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. last — finally
  20. ground — the earth
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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