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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: sharp · mate · key · stick · hand · safe · jam · rest

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. key — for a lock
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rest — a break
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — a friend
  7. hand — help
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — to breed
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. hand — in cards
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. key — in music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. key — the most important part

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