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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: bank · nail · rock · drill · bowl · season · firm · sharp

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. bank — of a river
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. season — in sport
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. firm — a company
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. drill — army training
  20. firm — decided
  21. season — of the year
  22. bank — for money
  23. rock — a stone
  24. firm — steady

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