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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rest — a break
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. degree — from a university
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. degree — an amount
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rest — what's left

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