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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: mouse · present · lie · kick · suit · wound · craft · wax

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lie — to recline
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wax — to grow
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — a skill
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — in football
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. present — there
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mouse — for a computer

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