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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: sharp · dip · staff · racket · prune · nail · arm · mug

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — a face
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. staff — employees
  7. mug — a cup
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. staff — a stick
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. staff — employees
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. dip — to sink
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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