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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. degree — an amount
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mate — to breed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mate — a partner
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rule — a law
  16. firm — steady
  17. rule — government
  18. firm — decided
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. firm — a company
  21. mate — a friend
  22. degree — temperature
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — the animal

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