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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 116 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: suit · kid · lash · last · nail · charge · hide · hand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kid — child
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — in control
  10. suit — clothes
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. kid — to tease
  16. suit — in cards
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. charge — electricity
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. last — final
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  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