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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.

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: season · racket · kid · nail · dip · prune · lash · hand

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. hand — in cards
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. season — of the year
  9. dip — to sink
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. hand — help
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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