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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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rock — a stone
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. degree — temperature
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. march — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bound — tied together
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bound — certain
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. degree — from a university
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rock — music

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