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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. row — to paddle
  3. kick — in football
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. shower — rain
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. row — a line
  9. shower — to wash
  10. face — to point toward
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mug — a cup
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. degree — an amount
  21. mine — for digging
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. face — to confront
  24. row — a quarrel

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