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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: wax · spell · spring · kick · pop · rest · sharp · nail

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — magic
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wax — to grow
  6. spring — a coil
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. kick — in football
  9. spell — letters
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. spring — of water
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spring — the season
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rest — a break
  24. wax — in the ear

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