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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: foot · wind · staff · safe · plane · lie · bat · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bat — the animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. plane — a tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wind — moving air
  12. staff — employees
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lie — to recline
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. staff — a stick
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  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