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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: bay · straw · safe · cabinet · jam · wave · sharp · mark

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mark — a trace
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. sharp — exactly

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