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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: hide · mate · fine · nail · chip · branch · wax · kick

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mate — to breed
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. mate — a friend
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. kick — in football
  18. branch — a division
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wax — to grow
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — for betting

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