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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — an amount
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mug — to rob
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. club — for golf
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. roll — a list
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mug — a face
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. game — wild animals
  18. roll — a cake
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mug — a cup
  21. degree — temperature
  22. toast — bread
  23. club — a group
  24. game — a match

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