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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rule — a law
  13. rush — hurry
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. degree — from a university
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rule — government
  20. toast — bread
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. temple — a place of worship

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