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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 116 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: mate · pit · safe · staff · scale · degree · rest · bulb

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. staff — employees
  3. scale — in music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. degree — from a university
  11. rest — a break
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bulb — for light
  15. degree — temperature
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rest — what's left
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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