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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: saw · wake · band · craft · pass · safe · wind · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pass — a permit
  8. band — a ring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. band — a music group
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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