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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. degree — temperature
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — rain
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cap — a lid
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. degree — an amount
  16. cap — a hat
  17. foot — a measure
  18. suit — clothes
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cap — of ice
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. shower — to wash

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