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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: cap · pitcher · saw · fan · wave · craft · hand · cell

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. craft — boats
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cell — in biology
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cell — a phone
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cap — a lid
  14. hand — help
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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