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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. row — to paddle
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. game — wild animals
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. sharp — clever
  14. suit — clothes
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. suit — in cards
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. row — a line
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — a company
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. game — a match

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