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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.

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: chip · wave · march · nail · fan · craft · stand · straw

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — to bear
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. march — music
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fan — a supporter

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