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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 · staff · key · safe · wind · bass · mug · bank

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. staff — employees
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bass — low music
  5. mug — a face
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bank — for money
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. key — the most important part
  13. staff — employees
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bank — for money
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. key — for a lock
  24. staff — a stick

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