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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · perch · sharp · last · ball · fork · face · nail

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. face — to confront
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ball — a dance
  8. perch — the fish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fork — in a road
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. rest — a break
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. last — final

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