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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: rash · row · wax · pop · lie · object · cell · nail

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — to grow
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pop — soda
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. object — to protest
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cell — a phone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pop — music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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