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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. game — wild animals
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. band — a ring
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. craft — a skill
  12. key — for a lock
  13. band — a music group
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. key — in music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. key — the most important part
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. game — a match
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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