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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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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: degree · wound · track · cell · rush · pit · safe · cabinet

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wound — an injury
  4. degree — from a university
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. degree — an amount
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pit — a hole
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cell — a phone
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rush — hurry

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