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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: suit · toast · craft · chest · staff · nail · rush · lean

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. staff — employees
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. toast — bread
  5. suit — in cards
  6. craft — boats
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chest — of your body
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lean — thin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. staff — a stick
  22. chest — a box
  23. craft — a skill
  24. chest — of your body

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