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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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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 · kick · game · wind · deal · foot · firm · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. game — a match
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. firm — a company
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wind — moving air
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. kick — in football
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. firm — decided
  16. wind — moving air
  17. game — wild animals
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. foot — a measure
  22. firm — steady
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. kick — with a leg

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