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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. net — for catching
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. net — in sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. sharp — clever
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. net — after costs
  24. rush — hurry

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