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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. craft — boats
  15. bass — the fish
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bass — low music
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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