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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: craft · tube · sharp · shower · firm · track · squash · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. craft — boats
  3. firm — steady
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. squash — to crush
  6. track — to keep track
  7. tube — the underground
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. track — a song
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. firm — a company
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. firm — decided
  19. shower — rain
  20. track — a path
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. tube — a container
  23. shower — to wash
  24. sharp — clever

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