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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: present · bank · mouse · sharp · hide · leaves · roll · nail

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. present — a gift
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — the time now
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — there
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. mouse — for a computer

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