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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. cold — not warm
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. firm — a company
  11. degree — from a university
  12. firm — steady
  13. cold — an illness
  14. suit — in cards
  15. degree — temperature
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. degree — an amount
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — in sport
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. net — after costs
  24. firm — decided

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