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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. court — of a king
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — for sport
  8. plane — a tool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. court — of law
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rush — hurry
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. safe — out of danger

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