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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: can · nail · wax · stock · racket · lie · lash · plane

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. can — a tin
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. can — a tin
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — for sculpting

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