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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: fine · lash · field · stand · ruler · deal · club · nail

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. deal — to handle
  5. club — a group
  6. fine — all right
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. field — farmland
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. field — for sport
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. field — a subject
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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