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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bound — certain
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hand — in cards
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — tied together
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. hand — help
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ball — a dance

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