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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · nail · kick · mate · mark · coach · perch · wax

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kick — in football
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mate — a friend
  20. spell — magic
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spell — letters
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mark — to pay attention

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