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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: mouse · saw · file · nail · pitcher · row · bear · wax

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bear — the animal
  17. file — a document
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a tool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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