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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: ball · suit · safe · hand · key · mouse · current · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. key — for a lock
  6. suit — to fit
  7. degree — an amount
  8. key — in music
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. degree — from a university
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hand — help
  13. current — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — electric
  20. ball — a dance
  21. hand — in cards
  22. key — the most important part
  23. current — happening now
  24. safe — out of danger

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