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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
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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: chair · date · season · scale · mug · nail · fan · sharp

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. scale — in music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. season — of the year
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mug — a cup
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mug — a face
  12. chair — a leader
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. scale — size or range
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. season — in sport
  19. mug — to rob
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. date — the fruit

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