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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: date · toast · fan · craft · firm · dip · wax · straw

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wax — to grow
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. dip — to sink
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. toast — bread
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. craft — a skill
  21. firm — steady
  22. craft — boats
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. date — the fruit

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