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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 116 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: bank · plane · wax · pound · board · track · snap · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. track — a song
  3. bank — for money
  4. track — a path
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. board — a committee
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — of a river
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. plane — a tool
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bank — for money
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. board — to get on
  22. pound — a weight
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. wax — to grow

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