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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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468
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: wound · content · suit · toast · mark · craft · bank · board

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — bread
  3. bank — of a river
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. craft — boats
  6. content — happy
  7. board — a committee
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. content — the amount
  17. wound — an injury
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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