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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · key · last · degree · plane · arm · wave · face

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. last — to go on
  4. face — to point toward
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. face — part of the head
  8. key — the most important part
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. last — finally
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. face — to confront
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. last — final
  16. degree — an amount
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. degree — from a university
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. degree — temperature

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