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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · safe · spring · sharp · file · ball · squash · staff

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ball — a dance
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. staff — employees
  11. lean — thin
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. squash — to crush
  15. staff — a stick
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. sharp — clever
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. spring — of water
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — a strongbox

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