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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bound — obliged
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. degree — temperature
  6. tube — a container
  7. degree — an amount
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lean — thin
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bound — certain
  23. pitch — completely
  24. tube — the underground

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