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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: nail · kick · foot · pitch · prune · roll · row · wax

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — to trim
  5. row — to paddle
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitch — completely
  20. prune — to trim
  21. row — a line
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. row — a quarrel

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