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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: can · band · sharp · rash · mug · wax · saw · roll

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. sharp — clever
  3. roll — a cake
  4. can — a tin
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. can — to be able to
  8. band — a music group
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. can — a tin
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mug — a cup
  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