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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: can · spell · wax · swing · bowl · nail · racket · fan

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. swing — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. swing — to play on
  22. spell — a short time
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — to grow

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