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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 116 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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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: mine · lash · deal · mark · pitcher · kick · nail · fork

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. deal — to handle
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. kick — in football
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fork — in a road

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