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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: bowl · cap · sharp · arm · cue · object · nail · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. object — an aim
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. object — a thing
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. object — to protest
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cap — a lid
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. cue — for pool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hand — help
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cue — a signal

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