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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. tear — to rip
  9. degree — from a university
  10. tear — from crying
  11. degree — an amount
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. tear — from crying
  19. shower — rain
  20. toast — bread
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bass — low music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. degree — temperature

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