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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: bank · cap · ball · can · craft · deal · wound · saw

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cap — a hat
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. cap — of ice
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wound — an injury
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. craft — boats

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