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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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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: cabinet · nail · dip · net · snap · wax · last · bound

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bound — tied together
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. snap — to click
  11. last — to go on
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. last — finally
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — certain
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. net — after costs
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. last — final
  21. wax — to grow
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. net — for catching

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