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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: jam · kick · wax · fan · season · craft · wave · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. season — in sport
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. season — of the year
  8. snap — to click
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wax — to grow
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. craft — boats
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kick — in football
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. craft — a skill

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