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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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. degree — an amount
  4. ball — a dance
  5. degree — temperature
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — hurry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bound — obliged
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bound — tied together
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — certain

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