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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: rock · sharp · pitcher · kid · present · nail · deal · mug

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — a stone
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mug — a face
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. sharp — clever
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. kid — child
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mug — to rob
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — music
  17. present — there
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. present — a gift
  24. mug — a cup

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