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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 · foot · bowl · stick · nail · bat · bark · key

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. key — the most important part
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

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