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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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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: bank · nail · wax · bay · race · row · lie · kid

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. race — a contest
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — child
  10. row — a line
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. race — humankind
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — to recline
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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