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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 120 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: lie · mouse · race · coach · rock · sharp · nail · saw

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — a stone
  10. race — the arms race
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — a contest
  18. sharp — clever
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rock — music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. race — humankind
  24. coach — a trainer

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