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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: fall · wave · nail · craft · chest · wound · mug · can

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fall — the season
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wound — an injury
  8. can — a tin
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. fall — to drop
  12. can — to be able to
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. chest — a box
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. can — a tin
  19. chest — of your body
  20. craft — boats
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — for a hammer

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