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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 120 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: sharp · saw · racket · game · kick · nail · root · firm

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — steady
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. firm — decided
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — a company
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. saw — the tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. game — a match
  24. kick — in football

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