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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: racket · hide · safe · fork · degree · dip · bowl · snap

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. degree — from a university
  7. dip — to sink
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. degree — temperature
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. degree — an amount
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. hide — to keep secret

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