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

Word bank: drill · safe · racket · rash · lean · bound · pound · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bound — certain
  7. drill — army training
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. drill — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bound — obliged
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. drill — a practice
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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