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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 120 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: suit · wave · nail · craft · ball · band · wind · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fall — the season
  12. craft — boats
  13. suit — to fit
  14. craft — a skill
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. suit — clothes
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ball — a great time
  21. band — a ring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — in cards

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