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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: sharp · saw · leaves · trunk · kick · nail · present · bound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. sharp — clever
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bound — obliged
  10. saw — the tool
  11. present — there
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. kick — in football
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bound — tied together
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bound — certain
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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