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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.

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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.

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: nail · kid · bank · stick · sharp · mine · rock · fine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. fine — all right
  4. bank — for money
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mine — for digging
  8. fine — high quality
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bank — of a river
  14. sharp — clever
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — to tease
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. kid — child

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