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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 116 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
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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: fine · mouse · present · lean · face · nail · bark · sharp

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fine — all right
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. sharp — clever
  7. present — a gift
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lean — thin
  11. face — to confront
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. present — there
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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