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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 120 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: board · bear · firm · pop · cabinet · safe · fan · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. degree — temperature
  6. board — a committee
  7. firm — a company
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pop — music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — to get on
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. firm — decided
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — steady
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — a supporter

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