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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: lash · mug · chest · nail · bowl · row · lie · coach

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mug — a cup
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chest — of your body
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. row — to paddle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mug — a face
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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