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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 124 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: net · face · bore · deal · lie · wax · lash · tube

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. face — to confront
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. tube — a container
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. net — for catching
  11. tube — the underground
  12. net — after costs
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wax — to grow
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bore — to tire
  22. net — in sport
  23. bore — to drill
  24. face — part of the head

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