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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: game · pound · bore · suit · content · mark · safe · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. content — happy
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. game — wild animals
  8. mark — a trace
  9. game — a match
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bore — to drill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. degree — an amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. suit — to fit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. content — the amount
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mark — a grade

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