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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 120 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: mouse · spell · can · wax · rush · ground · craft · lean

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — thin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ground — a position
  6. rush — hurry
  7. craft — boats
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. can — a tin
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. spell — letters
  15. can — a tin
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lean — to bend
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wax — to grow

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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