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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: spell · can · wind · nail · sharp · racket · rash · jam

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spell — a short time
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rash — hasty
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. can — a tin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. can — a tin
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. spell — letters
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. spell — magic

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