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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · roll · leaves · kick · fall · sharp · racket · rock

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. roll — a list
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. roll — a cake
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fall — to drop
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. kick — in football
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fall — the season
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rock — music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — a loud noise

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