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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — to drill
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. chip — to eat
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. firm — steady
  15. field — farmland
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. court — for sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. court — of a king
  20. firm — decided
  21. court — of law
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. firm — a company
  24. rash — a series

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