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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
468
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: wax · kid · nail · ball · shower · deal · safe · craft

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. kid — child
  8. shower — rain
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. shower — to wash
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. wax — to grow
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kid — to tease
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. craft — a skill
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. deal — to handle

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