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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: pop · toast · roll · nail · racket · pit · lash · kick

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — in a race
  7. roll — a list
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pop — soda
  12. toast — bread
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. kick — in football
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pop — music
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. roll — a cake
  24. lash — an eyelash

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