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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. degree — an amount
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a ring
  5. mug — to rob
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mug — a face
  10. cue — a hint
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mug — a cup
  16. degree — temperature
  17. perch — the fish
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. club — a group
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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