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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · roll · object · wave · craft · fan · press · kick

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. object — to protest
  12. roll — a list
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. object — a thing
  16. rock — music
  17. object — an aim
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. roll — a cake
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. kick — in football
  24. fan — a supporter

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