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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chest — a box
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bank — for money
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chest — of your body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bank — of a river

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