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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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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: pit · hand · degree · cap · deal · cell · vault · safe

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. degree — temperature
  3. hand — help
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cap — a lid
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pit — a hole
  10. degree — an amount
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. degree — from a university
  17. cap — of ice
  18. deal — to handle
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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