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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: arm · present · sharp · bound · season · spring · chip · nail

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bound — tied together
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. spring — a coil
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. present — the time now
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bound — obliged
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. chip — to eat
  14. present — there
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — in sport
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — of water
  21. bound — certain
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. arm — part of the body

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