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

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. squash — the sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pound — a weight
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. last — to go on
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. squash — to crush
  24. scale — size or range

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