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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. craft — boats
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. can — a tin
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — a song
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. track — a path
  23. can — to be able to
  24. staff — a stick

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