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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.

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: object · jam · craft · fan · wave · file · swing · dip

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. craft — boats
  8. dip — to sink
  9. file — a line of people
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. object — to protest
  14. file — a document
  15. object — an aim
  16. file — a tool
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. swing — music
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wave — with your hand

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