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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: sharp · roll · nail · charge · staff · track · tube · present

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. staff — employees
  6. track — a song
  7. charge — a price
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. present — a gift
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. roll — a list
  14. track — a path
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. track — to keep track
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. roll — a cake
  19. charge — in control
  20. sharp — clever
  21. charge — electricity
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. nail — for a hammer

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