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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 · suit · pit · stand · craft · squash · trunk · face

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — clothes
  5. face — to point toward
  6. craft — boats
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stand — to bear
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. face — to confront
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — part of the head
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bank — for money

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