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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. march — music
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. key — the most important part
  5. degree — an amount
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — in cards
  9. shower — rain
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. degree — temperature
  12. key — in music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. shower — to wash
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitch — completely
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. object — to protest
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. key — for a lock
  23. degree — from a university
  24. object — an aim

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