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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: bear · ruler · cap · object · bass · fan · craft · board

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. board — to get on
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. object — an aim
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. board — a committee
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — low music
  15. object — a thing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — of ice
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — to cool the air

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