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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 124 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. object — a thing
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — an aim
  7. degree — an amount
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. degree — from a university
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bass — low music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. degree — temperature
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — a break
  23. object — to protest
  24. fall — the season

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