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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · mouse · can · spring · saw · lash

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. spring — a coil
  18. can — to be able to

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