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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · mouse · ground · deal · lash · land · leaves · mate

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. land — ground
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ground — the earth
  16. land — to come down
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ground — a position
  22. land — a country
  23. deal — to handle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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