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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · safe · lie · wound · stand · degree · staff · face

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — employees
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. degree — from a university
  8. content — happy
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lie — to recline
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. content — the amount
  13. wound — an injury
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. degree — temperature
  16. face — to confront
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. degree — an amount

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