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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: chest · current · degree · cue · safe · prune · deal · suit

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cue — a hint
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — of water
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. deal — to handle
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — temperature
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — in cards
  18. current — happening now
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. current — electric
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chest — of your body

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