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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: craft · pop · sharp · key · rush · wake · stick · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. sharp — clever
  11. craft — boats
  12. key — in music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pop — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pop — soda
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — a skill

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