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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: rash · spell · nail · clip · craft · can · mine · mouse

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. can — a tin
  5. rash — a series
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. can — to be able to
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. clip — for paper
  11. spell — magic
  12. clip — a video
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. clip — to cut
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. rash — hasty

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