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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bear — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — to recline
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. degree — from a university
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bear — to put up with

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