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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: bear · craft · bass · tube · can · snap · jam · wave

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bear — the animal
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — a container
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. craft — boats
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. bass — the fish

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