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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.

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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: pop · file · fine · mark · firm · bound · nail · sharp

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bound — certain
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — steady
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. firm — a company
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pop — music
  12. mark — a trace
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — soda
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. firm — decided
  20. pop — to visit
  21. sharp — clever
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. file — a document

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