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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.

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: present · prune · nail · fine · tear · sharp · current · fork

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. sharp — clever
  3. tear — to rip
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — happening now
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — a gift
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. present — there
  12. fine — all right
  13. tear — from crying
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. current — electric
  16. fine — high quality
  17. current — of water
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — in a road
  20. present — the time now
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. tear — from crying

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