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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — a gift
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — boats
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. race — the arms race
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. charge — electricity
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — a skill
  19. sharp — clever
  20. race — a contest
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. race — humankind
  23. present — the time now
  24. charge — a price

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