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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 · suit · cabinet · court · bank · jam · plane · wake

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bank — for money
  5. court — of law
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — for sport
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. craft — boats
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bank — for money
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. court — of a king
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bank — of a river
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. suit — clothes

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