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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: ball · lash · stick · perch · nail · date · saw · fine

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. perch — the fish
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — a penalty

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