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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: mouse · stick · bank · craft · can · toast · key · content

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — a tin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bank — for money
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. content — happy
  9. craft — boats
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. content — the amount
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. toast — bread
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. key — the most important part
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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