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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: firm · safe · club · ruler · coach · row · degree · date

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. club — for golf
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. date — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — to paddle
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — from a university
  19. firm — decided
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. firm — a company
  23. row — a line
  24. degree — an amount

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