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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: fall · safe · present · bowl · mark · hide · degree · deal

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. fall — the season
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — to handle
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. degree — an amount
  10. fall — to drop
  11. degree — temperature
  12. present — a gift
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — there
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — a trace
  18. present — the time now
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. degree — from a university

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