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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 · suit · wind · wound · perch · craft · rush · toast

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wind — moving air
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wound — an injury
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. suit — clothes
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. perch — the fish
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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