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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spring — the season
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — to confront
  7. spring — of water
  8. ground — the earth
  9. key — in music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. face — to point toward
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ground — a position
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. key — for a lock
  23. face — part of the head
  24. degree — an amount

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