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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.

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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: lie · nail · bank · wave · sharp · cold · hand · pop

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — clever
  8. cold — not warm
  9. pop — soda
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pop — music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — in cards
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bank — for money
  24. cold — an illness

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