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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: last · squash · sharp · rash · safe · bear · staff · present

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. staff — employees
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — the animal
  5. last — to go on
  6. squash — to crush
  7. present — the time now
  8. rash — hasty
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — a gift
  11. rash — a series
  12. sharp — clever
  13. squash — the sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — a stick
  16. present — there
  17. last — final
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. last — finally

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