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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: nail · row · rash · craft · wax · deal · mouse · lash

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. row — a line
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wax — to grow
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rash — a series

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