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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: nail · lash · pass · rock · sharp · rush · bat · bore

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bore — to drill
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rush — hurry
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rock — music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. nail — on a finger

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