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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 120 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: craft · swing · cabinet · dip · rest · nail · wave · stand

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — to bear
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rest — a break
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. swing — music
  24. craft — boats

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