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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.

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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: wave · fan · straw · rash · wind · rock · lean · craft

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lean — to bend
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rash — a series
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — thin
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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