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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 · stick · calf · shower · wax · mine · kick · tear

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wax — to grow
  9. kick — in football
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. shower — to wash
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. shower — rain
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mine — for digging

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