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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: saw · nail · trunk · lean · drill · sharp · dip · key

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. drill — the tool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. dip — to sink
  8. saw — the tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lean — to bend
  14. sharp — clever
  15. lean — thin
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — the most important part
  24. sharp — exactly

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