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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.

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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: lash · nail · kick · fine · root · racket · mouse · wound

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wound — an injury
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. root — the cause
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wound — an injury

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