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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: lean · chip · tube · nail · ball · rock · lash · spell

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — music
  5. spell — letters
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. tube — a container
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. spell — a short time
  20. chip — for betting
  21. spell — magic
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. nail — on a finger

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