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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 120 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: dip · straw · safe · key · rash · net · fan · sharp

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. dip — to sink
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. net — in sport
  6. key — for a lock
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. net — after costs
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. key — the most important part
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rash — hasty
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. key — in music
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. net — for catching
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — dry grass

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