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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: craft · march · bank · plane · suit · pit · trunk · snap

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. march — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. plane — a tool
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bank — of a river
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. snap — to click
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. march — the month
  21. bank — for money
  22. march — the month
  23. pit — in a race
  24. trunk — of a tree

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