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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: can · nail · lash · firm · pop · spell · rash · calf

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spell — a short time
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. can — to be able to
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — soda
  10. rash — a series
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. can — a tin
  13. pop — music
  14. firm — steady
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. firm — decided
  21. pop — to visit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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