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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: lean · nail · sharp · cabinet · rock · race · mug · land

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — clever
  9. race — humankind
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — thin
  14. race — a contest
  15. land — to come down
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. land — a country
  19. lean — to bend
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — ground
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rock — music

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