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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: coach · wake · scale · sharp · bear · kid · rush · safe

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. scale — in music
  3. kid — to tease
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — clever
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wake — before a funeral

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