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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: fine · lash · last · lean · bore · nail · jam · mine

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mine — for digging
  3. last — finally
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. last — to go on
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. last — final
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. lean — thin
  24. jam — a tight spot

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