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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 120 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: saw · hide · nail · racket · sharp · mouse · craft · wound

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — clever
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wound — an injury
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wound — an injury

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