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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: bank · sharp · root · saw · firm · rock · nail · face

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — decided
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. firm — steady
  12. rock — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — of a word
  20. sharp — clever
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — to confront
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — a company

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