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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: shower · fork · wax · lash · jam · mouse · spell · cabinet

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. shower — rain
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spell — magic
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spell — letters
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wax — to grow
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fork — in a road
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fork — to eat with

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