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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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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: row · safe · sharp · deal · coach · fan · nail · squash

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. row — a line
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. row — to paddle
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. deal — to handle
  23. sharp — clever
  24. squash — the sport

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