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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · straw · snap · scale · safe · bound · craft · firm

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — decided
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. craft — a skill
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. firm — a company
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. snap — to click
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. firm — steady
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bound — certain
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. scale — in music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. craft — boats
  24. safe — out of danger

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