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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: suit · spell · straw · pass · craft · toast · hand · branch

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pass — a permit
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. spell — letters
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. toast — bread
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. craft — boats
  18. spell — magic
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. hand — help
  24. spell — a short time

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