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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a line
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. row — to paddle
  8. object — an aim
  9. degree — from a university
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — to protest
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. degree — temperature
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. ground — a position
  20. degree — an amount
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — a thing
  24. toast — bread

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