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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: spell · craft · rash · pop · bass · object · wave · season

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pop — to visit
  3. craft — boats
  4. season — of the year
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pop — soda
  8. bass — the fish
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. spell — letters
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rash — hasty
  14. object — to protest
  15. spell — magic
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. object — a thing
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pop — music
  22. bass — low music
  23. rash — a series
  24. season — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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