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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: tube · content · saw · fine · key · clip · sharp · safe

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. sharp — clever
  3. key — the most important part
  4. content — happy
  5. tube — a container
  6. clip — for paper
  7. key — for a lock
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. content — the amount
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — the underground
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. clip — to cut
  15. key — in music
  16. clip — a video
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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