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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.

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: scale · lash · hide · drill · nail · dip · fork · saw

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. drill — army training
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. drill — a practice
  10. saw — the tool
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. drill — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. dip — to sink
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. scale — in music
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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