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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · last · bat · object · squash · bay · branch · lash

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bat — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. last — final
  10. squash — to crush
  11. object — to protest
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. last — finally
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. last — to go on
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — the sport
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — a division

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