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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. degree — from a university
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pit — in a race
  8. spring — a coil
  9. degree — temperature
  10. spring — of water
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — an amount
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — the season
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pit — a hole
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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