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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
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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: wave · nail · tube · ground · fork · fan · face · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ground — crushed
  7. kick — in football
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ground — a position
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fork — in a road
  19. face — to confront
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. tube — a container
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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