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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. current — of water
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — electric
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lie — to recline
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. current — happening now
  18. lean — thin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. craft — boats
  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