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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · prune · land · nail · perch · mug · mine · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mug — a face
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. land — to come down
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. land — a country
  10. perch — the fish
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pass — a permit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. land — ground
  24. pass — to succeed

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