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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 120 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bear — the animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — the time now
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — a gift
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. present — there
  24. file — a line of people

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