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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: rush · wake · deal · mark · mouse · wax · straw · craft

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. craft — boats
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. straw — a straw man

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