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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
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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: present · dip · sharp · nail · roll · bear · wind · safe

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. present — the time now
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. sharp — clever
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. roll — a list
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wind — moving air
  20. present — there
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. present — a gift
  24. nail — on a finger

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