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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: lash · ground · rush · fork · key · nail · band · mug

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. band — a ring
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mug — a face
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mug — to rob
  18. key — for a lock
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. band — a music group
  24. ground — a position

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