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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: wake · nail · suit · foot · wax · rock · band · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. suit — clothes
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wake — a trail
  6. band — a ring
  7. rock — music
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. band — a music group
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rock — a stone
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kick — in football

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