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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
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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: mouse · fan · tube · plane · saw · degree · track · safe

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. track — a song
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. degree — temperature
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — a path
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — a container
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fan — a supporter
  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