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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.

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: degree · land · face · safe · rush · bowl · date · stick

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. date — the fruit
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. land — ground
  11. degree — from a university
  12. land — to come down
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. face — part of the head
  15. degree — an amount
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rush — hurry
  19. face — to confront
  20. land — a country
  21. face — to point toward
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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