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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. kick — in football
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bass — the fish

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