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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.

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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: chest · plane · nail · deal · rush · lash · board · wax

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chest — of your body
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chest — a box
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rush — hurry
  14. board — a committee
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. deal — to handle

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