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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: fan · spell · wax · mug · craft · saw · firm · ground

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mug — a cup
  5. craft — a skill
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. spell — letters
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mug — a face
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — decided
  23. spell — magic
  24. ground — a position

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