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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chest — a box
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. board — a committee
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. club — for dancing
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. key — in music
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. club — a group
  17. sharp — clever
  18. board — to get on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. club — for golf
  24. safe — a strongbox

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