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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: foot · rash · snap · shower · scale · safe · sharp · calf

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. shower — rain
  4. snap — to click
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — size or range
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rash — hasty
  12. shower — to wash
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rash — a series
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — in music

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