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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: straw · sharp · safe · land · cue · ruler · bank · bear

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. land — ground
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — a country
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — clever
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — to come down
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bear — the animal

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