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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: safe · wax · wound · face · sharp · stick · jam · hand

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. sharp — clever
  12. face — to confront
  13. wound — an injury
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wax — to grow
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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