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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: nail · trunk · hand · ruler · deal · wave · kick · leaves

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hand — in cards
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. hand — help
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. deal — to handle
  24. trunk — of a tree

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