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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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. foot — part of the body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — to rob
  6. net — after costs
  7. foot — a measure
  8. net — in sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. degree — an amount
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — for catching
  19. current — of water
  20. rock — music
  21. mug — a face
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mug — a cup

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