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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — clever
  8. charge — a price
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. spring — of water
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. foot — a measure
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. charge — in control
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spring — the season
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — electricity
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. march — the month
  22. spring — a coil
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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