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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: stick · last · content · swing · lash · craft · board · nail

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. last — to go on
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — finally
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. craft — boats
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — to get on
  13. swing — music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. content — happy
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. board — a committee
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. last — final
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. content — the amount
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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