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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. deal — to handle
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. file — a document
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. file — a tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. degree — an amount
  16. mug — a face
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. deal — a big deal

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