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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: nail · foot · bay · bound · band · trunk · wax · wound

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bound — certain
  6. band — a music group
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bound — tied together
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. band — a ring
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. trunk — of a car
  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