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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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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: mouse · bay · object · ball · degree · fine · safe · chip

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fine — all right
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. degree — from a university
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. object — a thing
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ball — a dance
  22. object — an aim
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fine — high quality

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