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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. root — the cause
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. root — of a word
  20. sharp — clever
  21. drill — army training
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  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