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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: row · mark · swing · nail · lash · cap · dip · squash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. swing — music
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. row — to paddle
  8. dip — to sink
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cap — of ice
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cap — a hat
  15. swing — to play on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — the sport
  19. swing — in golf
  20. row — a line
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cap — a lid

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