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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: sharp · scale · nail · board · rock · bat · fine · ground

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ground — crushed
  13. board — to get on
  14. fine — all right
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ground — a position
  17. board — a committee
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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