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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. lie — to recline
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stand — to bear
  24. squash — the vegetable

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