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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: craft · fan · object · cue · bear · wave · bass · lie

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bass — low music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. object — an aim
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — a thing
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — to protest

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