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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
468
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 · lash · bass · suit · land · game · tube · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. tube — a container
  3. bass — low music
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bass — the fish
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. land — a country
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. game — wild animals
  17. land — to come down
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. land — ground
  23. game — a match
  24. suit — clothes

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