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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: deal · temple · wax · kick · plane · spell · nail · mark

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — letters
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. kick — in football
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mark — a trace
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. spell — magic
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mark — a grade
  24. plane — in geometry

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