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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: fan · mine · mate · wave · squash · nail · jam · straw

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. squash — to crush
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. squash — the sport

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