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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mate — to breed
  5. degree — an amount
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — to fit
  9. charge — a price
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mate — a friend
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. suit — in cards
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. charge — electricity
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. degree — temperature
  21. cue — a signal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — in control
  24. mate — a partner

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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