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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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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: board · mark · staff · sharp · club · foot · drill · rock

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. sharp — clever
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. board — a committee
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. club — for dancing
  13. staff — a stick
  14. foot — a measure
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. board — to get on
  17. club — for golf
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. drill — army training
  22. club — a group
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rock — to move gently

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