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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pop — music
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. object — a thing
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. object — an aim
  12. net — after costs
  13. pop — to visit
  14. craft — boats
  15. net — in sport
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — for catching
  23. sharp — clever
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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