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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. club — a group
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. can — a tin
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — a cake
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. degree — an amount
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. can — a tin
  24. safe — a strongbox

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