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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: fine · sharp · club · foot · bear · bat · rock · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. club — a group
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bat — the animal

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