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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: safe · sharp · press · degree · arm · track · bay · mark

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mark — a trace
  6. track — to keep track
  7. degree — temperature
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. degree — from a university
  10. press — to push
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. press — newspapers
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. track — a song
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a path
  22. press — a publisher
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. safe — a strongbox

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