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

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. march — the month
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. club — for dancing
  17. staff — employees
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. staff — employees
  20. sharp — clever
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. march — music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fork — in a road

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