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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 116 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: sharp · net · mouse · spell · kick · wax · stock · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. spell — letters
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. net — for catching
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wax — to grow
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stock — shares
  16. spell — magic
  17. stock — goods
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — in football
  24. sharp — exactly

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