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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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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 · nail · suit · saw · lash · hide · charge · track

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — clothes
  3. track — to keep track
  4. sharp — clever
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. charge — a price
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. track — a song
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. charge — in control
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. track — a path

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