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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.

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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: lie · craft · wax · stock · stand · board · band · nail

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a committee
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stock — shares
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. craft — boats
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. band — a music group
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — goods
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. board — to get on
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wax — to grow
  18. band — a ring
  19. stand — to bear
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. craft — a handicraft

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