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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bass — low music
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wind — moving air
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bank — for money
  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