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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bank — of a river
  4. snap — to click
  5. bank — for money
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bat — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. sharp — clever
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. sharp — exactly

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