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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: track · arm · cap · lash · nail · mate · kick · firm

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. track — a song
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. track — a path
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. firm — decided
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cap — a lid
  19. kick — in football
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. track — to keep track

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