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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: nail · rule · jam · sharp · staff · root · object · fine

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. object — a thing
  5. root — of a word
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fine — all right
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rule — government
  15. root — the cause
  16. object — an aim
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — employees
  21. rule — a law
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — of a plant
  24. object — to protest

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