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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: lean · nail · ball · arm · rock · saw · track · sharp

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ball — a dance
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — thin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. track — to keep track
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rock — music
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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