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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: game · nail · degree · press · cue · deal · safe · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. deal — to handle
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cue — a signal
  8. degree — from a university
  9. game — a match
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — newspapers
  12. degree — an amount
  13. press — to push
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. game — wild animals
  17. degree — temperature
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cue — for pool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cue — a hint
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — a big deal

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