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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.

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 · game · key · capital · sharp · kick · craft · bank

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bank — for money
  3. capital — money
  4. game — a match
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — the most important part
  9. craft — a skill
  10. key — in music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. sharp — clever
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. craft — boats
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bank — of a river
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. capital — a city
  24. kick — in football

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