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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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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: band · nail · ball · chip · lash · pitch · rush · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rush — hurry
  4. band — a ring
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. band — a music group
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chip — for betting

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