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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fall — the season
  3. degree — temperature
  4. ball — a dance
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mug — a cup
  8. scale — in music
  9. degree — from a university
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — a company
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bear — the animal
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mug — a face
  22. ball — a great time
  23. firm — decided
  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