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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 120 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: swing · pit · can · pass · craft · bank · trunk · drill

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bank — of a river
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pit — in a race
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. drill — army training
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — for money
  23. pass — a permit
  24. swing — music

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