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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 · content · degree · suit · trunk · row · nail · mouse

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. row — a line
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. degree — temperature
  8. suit — in cards
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. content — the amount
  11. row — to paddle
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. content — happy
  22. degree — from a university
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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