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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. tear — to rip
  7. file — a tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. file — a document
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. board — to get on
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rush — hurry
  22. file — a line of people
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bark — to shout

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