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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.

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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: mug · present · saw · sharp · nail · leaves · ground · ball

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ground — a position
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. present — the time now
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ball — a great time
  11. present — there
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ground — crushed

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