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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wake — a trail
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. dip — to sink

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