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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: hand · stand · press · wake · bank · rush · craft · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. craft — boats
  4. press — newspapers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. hand — help
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. press — to push
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bank — for money
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. press — a publisher

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