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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chip — for betting
  5. vault — a safe
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. sharp — clever
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — from a university
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bowl — to roll

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