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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: track · kick · face · nail · rush · wake · prune · racket

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. face — to point toward
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — part of the head
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. track — a song
  10. wake — a trail
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. track — to keep track
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. track — a path
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. face — to confront
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — for tennis

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