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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: suit · game · pop · plane · cue · safe · content · degree

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cue — a hint
  4. game — a match
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. cue — for pool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. content — happy
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pop — to visit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. content — the amount
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. suit — clothes
  23. game — wild animals
  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