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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 116 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: lean · sharp · row · wind · safe · mate · trunk · bear

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. row — to paddle
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mate — to breed
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — thin
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lean — to rest against

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