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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: nail · tear · saw · sharp · temple · object · leaves · staff

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tear — from crying
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. tear — from crying
  13. sharp — clever
  14. staff — a stick
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tear — to rip
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. staff — employees
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. staff — employees
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. object — a thing

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