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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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468
Word bank
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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. degree — temperature
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. date — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mate — a partner
  14. degree — an amount
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ground — a position
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mate — to breed
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pound — a weight
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mate — a friend
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ground — the earth

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