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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · bowl · key · clip · land · temple · firm · fork

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. land — to come down
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. firm — steady
  11. land — a country
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. land — ground
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. clip — to cut
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — in music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. firm — a company
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. firm — decided
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fork — a garden tool

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