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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. key — in music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chip — to eat
  7. key — for a lock
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. game — wild animals
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. key — the most important part
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. sharp — clever
  16. chip — for betting
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play

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