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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: mine · nail · bank · fine · sharp · bowl · straw · fork

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bank — for money
  12. fine — all right
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bank — for money
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fine — a penalty

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