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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: kick · pitch · craft · roll · nail · lash · mug · land

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mug — a face
  4. roll — a list
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. land — a country
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. kick — in football
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. land — ground
  16. mug — a cup
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. craft — boats
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. land — to come down

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