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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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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: nail · saw · wax · can · toast · jam · squash · spell

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. can — to be able to
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. squash — the sport
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wax — to grow
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. squash — to crush
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. toast — bread
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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