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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: sharp · rock · clip · nail · bank · face · mark · bulb

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mark — a trace
  3. sharp — clever
  4. clip — to cut
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — music
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. face — to confront
  18. clip — for paper
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. clip — a video
  21. mark — a grade
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — on a finger

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