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

Word bank: safe · bay · craft · rock · pit · rule · leaves · degree

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. craft — a skill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rule — government
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. degree — from a university
  14. craft — boats
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rock — a stone
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pit — a hole
  20. degree — an amount
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rock — music

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