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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: jam · branch · land · craft · suit · net · bank · capital

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. suit — in cards
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. suit — to fit
  5. land — ground
  6. craft — boats
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. land — a country
  10. capital — a city
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. capital — money
  14. net — in sport
  15. land — to come down
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a skill
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. net — after costs

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