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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: ground · safe · degree · bound · face · file · row · lash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. degree — an amount
  3. file — a tool
  4. bound — obliged
  5. row — a line
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bound — certain
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. ground — crushed
  13. face — to point toward
  14. file — a document
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. face — to confront
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. degree — temperature

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