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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — a measure
  3. degree — an amount
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cell — a phone
  6. degree — from a university
  7. drill — army training
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. drill — a practice
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mouse — for a computer

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