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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 120 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: rush · content · mouse · trunk · spell · march · craft · nail

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. craft — a skill
  4. content — the amount
  5. craft — boats
  6. content — happy
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. march — music
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. march — the month
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. spell — magic
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. march — the month
  18. rush — hurry
  19. spell — a short time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. spell — letters
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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