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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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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: firm · file · craft · safe · bay · mark · pound · degree

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mark — a grade
  3. firm — a company
  4. file — a tool
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. file — a document
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. firm — steady
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mark — a trace
  16. craft — a skill
  17. file — a line of people
  18. craft — boats
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. degree — an amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. firm — decided

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