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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.

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: pit · sharp · charge · chest · deal · stock · safe · lean

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lean — thin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. sharp — clever
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — goods
  17. lean — to bend
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stock — shares
  22. pit — in a race
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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