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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 116 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 · hand · bowl · press · rock · trunk · stand · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. hand — help
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. hand — in cards
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. press — to push
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. trunk — of a car

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