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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. degree — temperature
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. degree — an amount
  5. drill — army training
  6. bound — obliged
  7. tear — from crying
  8. drill — the tool
  9. degree — from a university
  10. plane — a tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tear — to rip
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. bound — certain
  16. tear — from crying
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cue — for pool

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