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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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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 · race · present · sharp · nail · face · chip · arm

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. face — part of the head
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — there
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. chip — for betting
  12. present — the time now
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. face — to confront
  16. chip — to eat
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bank — for money
  19. present — a gift
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — to point toward
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. race — the arms race

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