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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.

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: arm · coach · pound · nail · land · sharp · key · hide

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. land — to come down
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pound — a weight
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. land — ground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — a country
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. key — for a lock
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. key — the most important part
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. key — in music

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