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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · lash · drill · stick · dip · nail · coach · cabinet

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. land — ground
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. drill — the tool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. land — a country
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. drill — army training
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. land — to come down
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — a practice
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. nail — on a finger

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