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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. degree — temperature
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. degree — from a university
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. capital — a city
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. staff — a stick
  16. degree — an amount
  17. staff — employees
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. press — to push
  20. date — the fruit
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. staff — employees
  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