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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · sharp · shower · kick · wax · safe · drill · hide

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. drill — army training
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. drill — a practice
  10. sharp — clever
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. shower — to wash
  23. wax — to grow
  24. shower — rain

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