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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. degree — an amount
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rule — a law
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — a stone
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rule — government
  14. degree — temperature
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. degree — from a university
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — completely

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