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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.

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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: current · firm · kick · content · foot · sharp · pound · safe

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. firm — steady
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. content — happy
  11. firm — a company
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pound — a weight
  14. foot — a measure
  15. current — electric
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. current — happening now
  18. firm — decided
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. content — the amount
  24. kick — in football

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