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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — all right
  6. root — of a word
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cold — not warm
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. staff — employees
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. staff — a stick
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. root — the cause
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cold — an illness
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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