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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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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: suit · lash · rush · roll · cold · wound · nail · firm

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — decided
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. firm — a company
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. roll — a list
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. suit — in cards
  14. firm — steady
  15. rush — hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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