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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bear — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bear — the animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rush — hurry
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — in music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wax — to grow
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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