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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: safe · ruler · degree · lie · mine · chest · tube · bay

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chest — a box
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mine — for digging
  6. chest — of your body
  7. degree — an amount
  8. tube — the underground
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. tube — a container
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. degree — from a university
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. lie — to recline

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