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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: degree · foot · nail · clip · fine · safe · arm · chest

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. degree — temperature
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. degree — from a university
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. degree — an amount
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fine — all right
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. clip — for paper
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. foot — a measure
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — a video

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