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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · net · object · coach · trunk · bowl · sharp · safe

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. net — after costs
  3. object — a thing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — a break
  6. object — an aim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rest — what's left
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. net — for catching
  16. rest — what's left
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. object — to protest
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. sharp — clever
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  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