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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: bank · saw · rash · nail · ground · bound · sharp · lie

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — a series
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bound — certain
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. ground — the earth
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lie — to recline
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — obliged
  18. ground — a position
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bank — of a river

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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