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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 120 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: wake · wax · nail · shower · coach · kick · season · fork

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. season — of the year
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kick — in football
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. season — in sport
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. kick — a thrill

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