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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: lean · can · fall · mouse · craft · racket · squash · rock

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fall — the season
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. craft — boats
  8. can — a tin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. squash — the sport
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lean — thin
  22. squash — to crush
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. craft — a skill

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