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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · face · racket · row · nail · bank · sharp · rash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bank — of a river
  3. sharp — clever
  4. face — to point toward
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rash — hasty
  10. face — part of the head
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. face — to confront
  16. rash — a series
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bank — for money
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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