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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: tube · safe · ruler · degree · jam · kid · shower · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. kid — child
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. tube — the underground
  8. degree — from a university
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mug — a cup
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tube — a container
  14. degree — temperature
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. degree — an amount
  18. shower — rain
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kid — to tease

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