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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 · key · racket · safe · tube · firm · patient · last

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. degree — from a university
  5. firm — decided
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. degree — an amount
  14. last — to go on
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. key — for a lock
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. degree — temperature

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