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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: craft · saw · present · squash · toast · bank · rule · branch

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. squash — the sport
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rule — government
  6. present — a gift
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. present — there
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. toast — bread
  16. craft — boats
  17. rule — a law
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bank — for money
  20. saw — the tool
  21. present — the time now
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. saw — the tool

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