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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: rash · lash · mouse · bowl · cell · can · wax · racket

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cell — a phone
  10. can — to be able to
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

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