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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bound — certain
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cue — a signal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. court — for sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — for pool
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — of law
  17. degree — an amount
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bound — obliged
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mine — for digging
  23. degree — from a university
  24. suit — to fit

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