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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.

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: craft · wind · bass · ball · coach · nail · wave · content

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. content — happy
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. wind — moving air
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. craft — boats
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. content — the amount
  14. bass — low music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bass — the fish
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wind — moving air
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. craft — a skill
  24. coach — a trainer

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