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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.

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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: lash · club · track · suit · land · nail · wound · stand

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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. land — a country
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. track — to keep track
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. land — to come down
  13. club — for golf
  14. land — ground
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. club — a group
  24. stand — to bear

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