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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. firm — decided
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bore — to tire
  8. kid — child
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. degree — from a university
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bore — to drill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. degree — temperature
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. firm — steady
  20. kid — to tease
  21. firm — a company
  22. sharp — clever
  23. degree — an amount
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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