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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. lean — to bend
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. track — to keep track
  6. foot — a measure
  7. mug — a cup
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. net — for catching
  10. sharp — clever
  11. track — a song
  12. mug — a face
  13. lean — thin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. track — a path
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. net — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tube — the underground
  22. net — after costs
  23. tube — a container
  24. mug — to rob

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