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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: drill · safe · sharp · scale · fan · bowl · pound · jam

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. scale — size or range
  15. drill — army training
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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