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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: ground · nail · coach · swing · lash · mark · fine · squash

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. swing — to play on
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. squash — the sport
  14. ground — a position
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fine — all right
  17. ground — crushed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. swing — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. swing — in golf

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