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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.

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: nail · fine · craft · object · mine · firm · row · lash

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. firm — a company
  3. object — a thing
  4. row — a line
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fine — all right
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. object — to protest
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mine — for digging
  24. fine — high quality

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