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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: can · sharp · cell · wax · fan · deal · bowl · snap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cell — in biology
  9. snap — to click
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — a tin
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. cell — a phone
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wax — for sculpting

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