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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. spring — a coil
  13. object — an aim
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. object — a thing
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stock — shares
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. object — to protest

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