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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. date — the fruit
  5. last — final
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. toast — bread
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. degree — an amount
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. degree — from a university
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. last — to go on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. last — finally

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