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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — a container
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rush — to hurry

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