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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · sharp · fine · mark · suit · bark · safe · kick

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fine — all right
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kick — in football
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. swing — music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. swing — in golf
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. suit — in cards
  24. swing — to play on

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