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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: track · kick · stem · chip · fine · staff · nail · sharp

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. staff — employees
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chip — to eat
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. staff — a stick
  14. track — a song
  15. fine — all right
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. track — a path
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fine — high quality
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. staff — employees

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