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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: mug · leaves · arm · cue · sharp · lash · craft · wax

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — boats
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mug — a face
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. sharp — clever
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wax — to grow
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — a skill
  24. leaves — to go away

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