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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: craft · can · wax · kick · charge · lean · straw · firm

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. can — a tin
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lean — to bend
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wax — to grow
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — a company
  14. kick — in football
  15. firm — decided
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. charge — a price
  18. lean — thin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. firm — steady
  21. can — to be able to
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lean — to rest against

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