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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
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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: jam · craft · wax · mouse · saw · snap · trunk · lie

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lie — to recline
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. saw — the tool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. snap — to click
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wax — to grow
  24. jam — a tight spot

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