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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 · can · bass · prune · fork · object · mark · nail

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bass — low music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. object — a thing
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. can — a tin
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. object — an aim

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