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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: drill · nail · calf · bass · stick · hand · leaves · wax

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hand — in cards
  6. drill — a practice
  7. hand — help
  8. bass — low music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bass — the fish

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