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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: mouse · pitcher · suit · ground · safe · sharp · wake · rash

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rash — a series
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ground — a position
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ground — crushed
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ground — the earth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mouse — 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