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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 · snap · wave · drill · pop · tube · scale · fan

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pop — soda
  3. tube — a container
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. tube — the underground
  6. craft — boats
  7. drill — army training
  8. scale — size or range
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. scale — in music
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. snap — to click
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. tube — in a tire

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