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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: perch · sharp · toast · key · hide · present · cue · nail

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. key — for a lock
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. sharp — clever
  10. key — in music
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cue — for pool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. cue — a signal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. present — there
  21. toast — bread
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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