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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: present · mug · leaves · wound · sharp · march · nail · scale

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. march — music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. march — the month
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. sharp — clever
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. scale — in music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. scale — size or range
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. march — the month
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. present — the time now
  24. leaves — lets stay

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