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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · net · track · jam · suit · mate · safe · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. degree — from a university
  3. suit — to fit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. degree — temperature
  6. track — a path
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mate — a friend
  10. track — a song
  11. net — after costs
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a partner
  14. suit — clothes
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — in sport
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mate — to breed
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. suit — in cards
  22. track — to keep track
  23. degree — an amount
  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