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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: rush · sharp · kid · rock · pop · cell · swing · safe

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. swing — in golf
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — child
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pop — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cell — in biology
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rock — music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. sharp — clever
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. swing — music
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pop — soda
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pop — to visit

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