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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. craft — boats
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — low music
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bass — the fish
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lean — thin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cue — for pool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lean — to bend

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