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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.

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: pass · arm · nail · degree · bound · fork · sharp · clip

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. clip — a video
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fork — in a road
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. degree — an amount
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bound — certain
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bound — obliged
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — temperature
  18. clip — to cut
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. clip — for paper
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pass — a permit
  24. sharp — with an edge

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