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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 · nail · bound · racket · net · wake · trunk · wax

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bound — certain
  4. net — after costs
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. net — in sport
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lie — to recline
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. net — for catching
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bound — obliged
  24. lie — an untruth

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