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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: kick · can · nail · arm · wax · bulb · chest · lean

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. can — a tin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chest — a box
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lean — thin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. chest — of your body
  17. kick — in football
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chest — of your body

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