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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.

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: object · lash · stick · court · rest · spell · hand · nail

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. court — of law
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — to protest
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. court — of a king
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. object — an aim
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — letters
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. court — for sport
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. object — a thing

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