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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: mate · stick · safe · mine · mark · foot · drill · sharp

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mate — a partner
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mark — a trace
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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