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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: suit · wound · nail · hide · sharp · lean · mouse · last

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. suit — in cards
  5. last — to go on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. last — finally
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lean — to bend
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lean — thin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. sharp — clever
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. last — final
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hide — to keep secret

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