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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 120 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: last · hand · board · stick · nail · lie · lash · deal

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — a committee
  3. lie — to recline
  4. last — to go on
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. last — final
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — finally
  21. board — to get on
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hand — help
  24. lie — an untruth

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