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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bank — for money
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. band — a music group
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bank — of a river
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — to fit
  19. kick — in football
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stock — goods
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a ring
  24. stock — shares

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