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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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. can — to be able to
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. swing — music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. swing — to play on
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — a tin
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. swing — in golf
  21. board — a committee
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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