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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 · drill · snap · nail · mark · chip · current · craft

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. current — happening now
  4. drill — a practice
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. current — of water
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — a trace
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. drill — army training
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. current — electric
  17. mark — a grade
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. snap — to click
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. drill — the tool

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