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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: deal · mine · wound · lean · craft · bank · can · toast

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lean — to bend
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mine — for digging
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. lean — thin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bank — for money
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — boats
  23. toast — bread
  24. can — a tin

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