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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. squash — to crush
  3. band — a music group
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — in control
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. degree — an amount
  10. charge — a price
  11. degree — temperature
  12. tube — a container
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. charge — electricity
  17. dip — to sink
  18. degree — from a university
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — the sport
  22. band — a ring
  23. tube — the underground
  24. band — a rubber band

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