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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. row — a line
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. spring — a coil
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — of water
  11. rush — hurry
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. vault — a safe
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. spring — the season
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. row — to paddle
  23. sharp — clever
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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