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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: swing · present · can · craft · nail · wave · wax · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wax — to grow
  6. swing — to play on
  7. squash — to crush
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. swing — music
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. craft — boats
  14. swing — in golf
  15. present — the time now
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. present — there
  18. can — a tin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. craft — a skill
  23. present — a gift
  24. can — a tin

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