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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: roll · wax · craft · mouse · wake · key · chip · rush

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. key — in music
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. roll — a cake
  17. chip — for betting
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. wake — a trail
  24. key — the most important part

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