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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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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: present · suit · squash · safe · sharp · hand · mark · wave

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — in cards
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hand — help
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. present — the time now
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. present — a gift
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — to fit
  24. present — there

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