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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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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: nail · craft · lash · can · pit · court · ground · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — to be able to
  4. last — finally
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — a position
  7. court — for sport
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. court — of a king
  11. pit — in a race
  12. last — final
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pit — a hole
  19. can — a tin
  20. ground — the earth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. can — a tin
  24. court — of law

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