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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rush — hurry
  5. charge — in control
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. charge — a price
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. season — of the year
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. season — in sport
  16. rock — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wake — a trail
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rock — a stone
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wind — moving 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