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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 116 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 · staff · pit · race · rush · stick · hand · mug

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. staff — employees
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. staff — employees
  11. race — humankind
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rush — hurry
  18. race — a contest
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mug — a face
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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