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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. drill — army training
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rest — a break
  13. sharp — clever
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rest — what's left

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