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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.

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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: squash · tube · present · degree · craft · saw · band · wave

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — from a university
  7. saw — the tool
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. present — the time now
  11. degree — an amount
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. present — there
  14. tube — a container
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tube — the underground
  18. present — a gift
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. squash — the sport
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. squash — to crush
  24. craft — boats

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