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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fine — high quality
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. face — part of the head
  12. degree — from a university
  13. face — to confront
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fine — all right
  17. kid — child
  18. degree — temperature
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — to tease
  21. drill — army training
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. degree — an amount

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