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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: squash · safe · craft · bound · lie · sharp · date · wave

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bound — obliged
  4. sharp — clever
  5. craft — boats
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. squash — to crush
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — to recline
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bound — certain
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — tied together
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. date — the fruit
  24. safe — out of danger

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