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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 120 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: craft · stick · chip · fine · nail · kick · dip · lash

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. craft — boats
  11. chip — for betting
  12. dip — to sink
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fine — all right
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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