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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 116 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stem — to come from
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. kid — child
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — clever
  23. kid — to tease
  24. safe — out of danger

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