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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: pass · saw · rest · kick · band · rush · wax · craft

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. craft — boats
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pass — a permit
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. rest — a break

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