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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. sharp — clever
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — boats
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. craft — a skill
  17. kid — to tease
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kid — child
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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