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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · hand · sharp · wind · safe · lie · squash · lean

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wind — moving air
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. root — of a word
  18. hand — help
  19. squash — the sport
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. hand — in cards
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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