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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.

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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: deal · charge · lean · fine · sharp · nail · band · leaves

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — in control
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lean — to bend
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fine — all right
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lean — thin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fine — high quality
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. band — a music group

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