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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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — a grade
  11. degree — an amount
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. degree — temperature
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. degree — from a university
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. safe — out of danger

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